Month: October 2017

Aside from people with certain neurological conditions, almost everyone has all of these fears. The level of fear, and the behaviour based on it, have a wide range.

Some are quite physical, survival-oriented, and even hard-wired into our brains before birth. They are literally coded into our DNA, connected through our neurons, and sparked by biochemical reactions.

Pain.

Suffocation.

Objects rapidly approaching one’s eyeball.

Fire.

Heights and falling a long distance.

An infant being abandoned by its mother.

Aggressive animals.

Confinement in small spaces, or restraint of movement.

Disgust at rotting food, or at faeces.

All of those fears evolved for survival.

Your ancestors who had these fears survived their dangerous environments, and passed those fears down to you.

However, there are other fears, which many people treat as if they were on that same level. They will avoid these things at all costs. But, in doing so, they actually reduce their potential, and narrow their horizons.

If these people see you embracing these things, they will become condescending, accusing you of lacking common sense. Or they may become openly hostile.

What do so many people fear?

Change

Ambiguity

Responsibility

Independence

Solitude

Non-conformity

None of those things are automatically bad or dangerous. But many people view them as if they were.

Yes, you should be mindful, examine the situation, and carefully choose your actions. But, trying to avoid these things (as if they were threats to your survival) can have a very negative impact on you.

It is natural and normal to feel some stress or anxiety about these things. But learning to move through that, and embrace them gracefully, can improve your life greatly.

The next time you feel fear, calm down and ask yourself, is it really about a threat? Or is it about an opportunity to grow and expand your horizons?